by Priscilla (wishing I was in Costa Rica) ~.
Member since:
January 10, 2006

Princess Kay of the Milky Way - Butter Sculpting

November 03, 2009 11:38 AM EST
views: 141 | rating: 9.2/10 (12 votes) | comments: 31

Here in Minnesota we have a State Fair Princess, the Princess Kay of the Milky Way!

The young woman who serves as Minnesota's state dairy princess wears the title of Princess Kay of the Milky Way, a name selected in a Department of Agriculture contest over fifty years ago. Princess Kay is crowned each August the night before the opening of the Minnesota State Fair, and she makes appearances not only during the Fair's 12-day run, but all year long.

Meanwhile, during the Minnesota State Fair, all of the Princess finalists have their bust carved into a big brick of butter. I believe they get to take them home when the Fair is over.

 

The sculpter, Linda Christensen, has been doing this at the Minnesota State Fair for 38 years now. Here she is inside the 40 degree rotating booth, sculpting one of the finalists. It takes approx. 6-8 hours to finish the sculpture out of a 90 pound block of butter.

The Princess is crowned on opening day of the Fair and her sculpture is done, the subsiquent days of the Fair are spent sculpting the other finalists, while on-lookers watch inside the Dairy Building.

Elizabeth Olson (above) was crowned Princess Kay of 2009!

Butter sculpting was started to highlight Minnesota's claim as the "butter capital of the nation". In 1965 they starting sculpting the Princess out of butter & it is now a yearly tradition.

portions from www.midwestdairy.com

Have you ever seen a butter sculpture?
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Comments: 31

Monica H. Nov 3, 2009, 11:40am EST
Those are really cool. I cant believe they can do that out of a big block of butter.
☀ Aunt Shanny Nov 3, 2009, 11:44am EST
Agreed!
Can you imagine bring home your butter bust! Butter for life pretty much!
Connie C. Nov 3, 2009, 11:49am EST
Those are the coolest things ever! I have never heard of this. Would love to see it being sculpted.
It is interesting to watch, but a bit slow going....I suppose since it is chilly inside, the butter is a bit hard to work with.
Winston Smith Nov 3, 2009, 11:52am EST
I had a dream one night that my head was sculpted of butter and people were rolling ears of corn on my head and digging saltine crackers in my head.
That sounds like a really interesting dream Winston!
Jim G. Nov 3, 2009, 11:52am EST
Marvelous. Have you ever see the ice sculptures in Rice Park during the St. Paul Winter Carnival? They are great, too.
It has been a long time since I have seen them, but they really are beautiful! Thanks for the reminder about them, now I am going to try & get down to St. Paul to see them this year!
Kat W. Nov 3, 2009, 11:56am EST
Very interesting and great photos!
Thanks Kat!
Kay M. Nov 3, 2009, 12:06pm EST
Those butter sculptures are so cool. She can be Princess Kay if she likes. Just so she doesn't try to be Queen Kay. That would be me.
david f. Nov 3, 2009, 12:09pm EST
those and the ice sculptures during the winter carnival always amaze me.
Guy W. Nov 3, 2009, 3:24pm EST
Have you ever seen the Lady's Lamb Lead? roflmnwao
I think they changed the name to be gender neutral now, but they design a wool costume to model in July and a matching outfit for the lamb.

I don't think it's at all kosher--displaying the child in the wool of its mother and all. but, Jonathon Demme goes whenever he gets a chance.
david f. Nov 3, 2009, 3:32pm EST
i haven't. where can i find it?
Stacey *Mamasaid* D. Nov 3, 2009, 12:14pm EST
These are so beautiful, I never imagined someone could do that with butter!
j - Frugal Mom - r. Nov 3, 2009, 12:42pm EST
Wow, that is really interesting Priscilla.
Jessica Swain Nov 3, 2009, 2:26pm EST
As a big fan of butter and a big fan of the arts (I never thought I would say that ... ha ha), I think this is just amazing!
Marianne R. Nov 3, 2009, 3:27pm EST
Nice photos.
Sarah (I want points) Nov 3, 2009, 3:29pm EST
Wow! That's really neat. What a great use of butter! It certainly shouldn't be used for anything else :)
Kelly Kay Nov 3, 2009, 3:57pm EST
Last year on the Bonnie Hunt show she had a gentleman who carved her face from cheese... he said he came form a long line of cheese carvers. I wonder what set off this tradition of carving dairy products?
Nana to Seven Cutiepies Nov 3, 2009, 4:12pm EST
Amazing, this is awesome. I've never seen this.
Janet "Jax" B. Nov 3, 2009, 7:22pm EST
That is amazing....but I don't really want a bust of me carved outta butter....now if it was chocolate, then maybe...LOL
Dagmara H. Nov 4, 2009, 10:19am EST
that is so cool
Lady of Lake Merritt ... Nov 4, 2009, 12:43pm EST
that's amazing!
Kathy D. Nov 4, 2009, 10:41pm EST
Wow - that is pretty cool!
Beth G. Nov 4, 2009, 10:43pm EST
Those photos were very cool!
Carrie Marie P. Nov 5, 2009, 5:21pm EST
That is cool.
Nurse Nancy S. Nov 5, 2009, 7:11pm EST
My daughter lives in Wisconsin and the town shel ives in has a big fair every year called "BUTTERFEST." What is it with the facination with butter? LOL
Risa G. Nov 6, 2009, 10:39am EST
I have seen butter sculptures on tv - The Food Network and also on my sons favorite i-Carly show. The character of her brother is a sculptor and he made a butter sculpture once (altho' I am sure it wasn't the actor himself that did it - Jerry Tranor??).
JoAnn C. Nov 14, 2009, 10:35am EST
Those are pretty cool. I saw one at the Big E in Springfield in September.

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